THE ORIGINS OF 10 MOST POPULAR NURSERY RHYMES
We all know (and remember!) nursery rhymes by heart. Whether it's Humpty Dumpty or Jack and Jill, these catchy tunes weave their way into our minds and stay there forever. Many books of nursery rhymes exist out there, and you surely had at least one as a child, too. There’s even a new, personalized book of nursery rhymes, a part of the Mini Heroes collection !
The Mini Heroes collection is a collection of books for kids aged 0-5. They’re perfect for both the child and the parents since each book deals with a topic that all parents sooner or later face, such as establishing a bedtime routine and potty training. The first two books in the collection are Georgie Is Born and Nursery Rhymes - the perfect personalized baby shower gift. In fact, any book from the collection makes for the best gift for kids, so make sure to keep your eyes open for when it’s out!
Have you ever wondered where nursery rhymes came from? They’ve been around for centuries, with many of them having fascinating and very strange origins. So much so that in Georgie’s Nursery Rhymes, Hooray Heroes went ahead and changed the endings to be… less gruesome! In this personalized book of nursery rhymes, your kiddo takes all these well-known nursery rhymes characters on a journey and makes these rhymes slightly easier for them.
But let’s go back to their origins. In this blog post, we’ll explore the stories behind 10 popular nursery rhymes and how they developed over time, from political satire to children’s games. So set up this playlist to take you down the memory lane and get ready to take a journey through history with us!
THREE BLIND MICE
Three blind mice, three blind mice
See how they run, see how they run
They all ran after the farmer's wife
She cut off their tails with a carving knife
Did you ever see such a sight in your life as three blind mice?
Sketch from The Mini Heroes Collection: Nursery Rhymes
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The popular nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice has its origins in 1609 England. The tune is derived from an old folk song, and the lyrics are thought to be a political satire of Queen Mary I. The Queen is often referred to as "Bloody Mary" because of her brutal persecution of Protestants during her reign. The three blind mice are thought to be three Anglican bishops who wanted to overthrow Queen Mary I. They were unsuccessful and according to legend, blinded by Mary and then burned on the stake.
JACK AND JILL
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.
Jack and Jill is a popular English nursery rhyme that was supposedly written around 1765, although some think it might be even a century older since it rhymes water with after.
There are several theories about the origin of this nursery rhyme, one of them being that Jack was King Louis XIV of France and Jill his wife, Marie Antoinette. It’s the story of their execution: the hill represents the steps to the guillotine; Jack lost his crown (was beheaded) first, and months later, Jill aka Marie Antoinette’s head “came tumbling after”.
ROCK-A-BYE BABY
The first known version of Rock-a-bye Baby was published in England in 1765 in a collection of nursery rhymes called Mother Goose's Melody. The rhyme was originally titled "Hush-a-Bye, Baby, on the Tree Top," and it went like this:
Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.
Over time, the title and some of the words changed. For example, in another early version from 1805, the opening line was "Rockabye baby, do not cry," and in yet another from 1881, it was "Bye baby bunting."
One theory is that it was written by an English colonist who came over to the US on the Mayflower and saw that Native American women rocked their babies in cradles made of birch bark that they hung from trees.
It wasn't until 1912 that the version we know today was published in America. In that version, all four lines are sung to the same melody. And while there have been many variations since then - some with different melodies or different numbers of verses - that basic form has remained pretty much unchanged.
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OLD MOTHER HUBBARD
Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard,
To get her poor dog a bone;
But when she got there,
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.
Old Mother Hubbard is supposedly yet another political satire. Old Mother Hubbard allegedly refers to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey who was unsuccessful at getting Henry VIII’s annulment for his marriage with Catherine of Aragon. The cupboard is supposedly the Catholic Church, and the dog is Henry VIII himself. So the non-existing bone represents the non-existing annulment. Famously, this prompted Henry VIII to break away from the Catholic Church, establishing the Church of England, and thus history was made.
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EENY MEENY MINY MOE
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,
Catch a tiger by the toe.
If he hollers, let him go,
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
The origin of this popular nursery rhyme is unknown, but there are many theories. One theory suggests that it is a corruption of an old French nursery rhyme Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman. Another theory claims that it is a mocking reference to the way in which King Charles I chose his horses, by having them run past him while he counted "eeny, meeny, miny, moe".
GEORGIE PORGIE
Georgie Porgie pudding and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry;
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away.
Georgie Porgie is a popular nursery rhyme that has been around for centuries. The earliest known version of the rhyme was published in 1744, in a book called A Collection of Nursery Rhymes by James Orchard Halliwell.
Georgie Porgie is thought to be based on a real person. According to some sources, Georgie Porgie was actually George II, the King of England from 1727-1760. It is said that he had a habit of kissing young women, which earned him the nickname "Georgie Porgie".
Other versions of the rhyme were published in the 19th century, including one by Mother Goose. The most popular modern version of Georgie Porgie was written by children's author Eleanor Farjeon in 1927.
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HUMPTY DUMPTY
Humpty Dumpty is a popular nursery rhyme that has been around for centuries. The earliest known version of the rhyme was published in 1797, though it is thought to be much older. The most common version of the rhyme today is:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again!
There are many theories about the origins of this rhyme. One popular theory is that it is based on a real person – King Richard III of England. According to this theory, Richard III was a cruel ruler who had many enemies. One day, while he was riding his horse along a wall, he was attacked and killed by his enemies. His body was so badly damaged that it could not be put back together again, and this is how the rhyme came about.
Another theory suggests that the rhyme is based on an old folk tale about a man who falls off a cliff and is broken into pieces. This story was also said to be the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's famous novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Whatever the true origins of the rhyme may be, it continues to be a favorite among children (and adults!) today.
POP GOES TO THE WEASEL
All around the Mulberry Bush,
The monkey chased the weasel.
The monkey stopped to pull up his sock,
Pop! goes the weasel.
Pop Goes The Weasel is a popular nursery rhyme that has been around for centuries. The origins of the rhyme are unknown, but there are many theories. One theory is that the rhyme is based on a real-life event in which a weasel popped out of a hole in a tree and scared a child.
Another theory is that the rhyme is about London weavers who used a machine called a weasel when weaving fabric, and the machine, when being worked, made a popping sound.
And finally, some people think that the song was written in Cockney rhyming slang in Victorian London and that ‘weasel’ means coat, and ‘pop’ is about pawning your possessions.
MARY MARY QUITE CONTRARY
Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockleshells
And pretty maids all in a row.
The nursery rhyme Mary Mary Quite Contrary is about a young girl who is very disobedient. She does everything that her parents tell her not to do and she is always getting into trouble. This nursery rhyme is believed to be based on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary was a very rebellious teenager and she often got into trouble with her parents. Her life was made into a major motion picture starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie a few years ago. It is thought that this nursery rhyme was written to warn young girls about the dangers of being too disobedient.
RING AROUND THE ROSIE
The last popular nursery rhyme on our list is Ring Around the Rosie. This beloved rhyme has been around for centuries, and its origins are actually quite dark.
The first known version of Ring Around the Rosie was published in 1881, but the rhyme is thought to date back much further. One theory is that it dates back to the time of the Black Death in Europe, which killed millions of people between 1347 and 1351. The lyrics of Ring Around the Rosie are thought to refer to the symptoms of the plague, such as fever (rosie), delirium (a-tishoo), and death (we all fall down). Another theory is that it refers to witches flying on their broomsticks (ring around the rosie), with the final line being a reference to them being caught and burned at the stake (we all fall down).
Whatever its origins, Ring Around the Rosie is a timeless nursery rhyme that continues to be enjoyed by children today.
All in all, nursery rhymes have been a part of our lives for many centuries, with some even dating back to medieval times. With their catchy tunes and classic lyrics, these nursery rhymes are sure to bring joy and laughter into any room. It is amazing the stories behind each one of them, from ancient tales about kings and queens to simple childhood riddles. Regardless of their origin, we all can enjoy singing along with them as they continue to be passed down from generation to generation.
And if you think that they’re just a tad too bizarre for you kiddo, or are interested how else these nursery rhymes could end, make sure to check out Georgie’s Nursery Rhymes.
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